Machine for drilling window shade rollers



Sept. 6, 1955 G. A. PHINN MACHINE FOR DRILLING WINDOW SHADE ROLLERSFiled July 6, 1953 United States Patent() MACHINE FOR DRILLING WINDOWSHADE ROLLERS George A. Phinn, Pasadena, Calif.

Application July 6, 1953, Serial No. 366,135

8 Claims. (Cl. 144-93) This invention relates to a machine for extendingwindow shade rollers, and particularly to a machine for accuratelysupporting a wooden window shade cylinder in axial alignment with adrill bit. The end of the cylinder is then drilled along its axis, sothat a dowel may be placed in the bored holes to two such cylinders anda combination cylinder of greater length provided.

Wooden shade rollers presently on the market are sold in a variety ofrelatively short standard lengths, so that when it is desired to form ashort shade roller of nonstandard length it is merely necessary to buythe next longer standard length and cut it to size. However, when it isnecessary to form a relatively long shade roller it is customary toemploy metal instead of wooden cylinders since no wooden shade rollcylinders of the longer lengths are presently available. Since the costof a metal cylinder is several times that of a wooden cylinder of equallength, attempts have been made to extend wooden cylinders in such a wayas to provide a combination cylinder having the necessary dimensions.This, however, necessitates the carrying out of extremely accuratedrilling operations in order to form the axial end holes in which thedowel, which connects the two components of the combination cylinder, isplaced. Where the end holes are not accurately drilled on the axes ofthe cylinders to be joined, a substantial wobble results which rendersthe extended cylinder unsuitable for use as a shade roller.

In View of the above factors characterizing the iield of window shaderollers, it is an object of the present invention to provide a simpleand inexpensive apparatus for forming axial end holes in wooden shaderoller cylinders, the apparatus being highly accurate yet suicientlysimple in operation to permit its use by unskilled personnel inrelatively small window shade companies.

A further object is to provide a novel means for holding a wooden windowshade cylinder in axial alignment relative to a drill, portions of thealigning means being movable with the cylinder as it is advanced overthe drill during the boring operation.

An additional object is to provide novel adjustment, bearing, and springreturn means for expediting the drilling operation and rendering it moreaccurate.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be morefully set forth in the following specication and claims considered inconnection with the attached drawing to which they relate.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a top plan View illustratinga shade roll drilling apparatusembodying the invention;

Figure 2 is aview along line 2-2 of Figure l, partly in vertical centralsection and partly in elevation;

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectional View along line 3 3 ofFigure l and as viewed in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 illustrates the abutting ends of an extended r Cal ICC

mounted on the base 10 at the inner end of drill meansk 11, andstationary cylinder support means 13 mounted at the other end of base 10and cooperating with slidable support means 12 to align the cylinder tobe drilled. A typical wooden shade roller cylinder .to be drilled isshown at 14 in Figures l and 2, and its connection to a correspondingcylinder 16 by means of a dowel 17 is shown in Figure 4, the dowel beinginserted in axial end holes 18 formed in cylinders 14 and 16 inaccordance with the invention. j

The drill means 11 comprises an electric motor 20 the shaft of which isconnected, by means of a`chuck 21, with a relatively long straight drill22. The drill 22 extends longitudinally of base 10 and is associated, at

approximatelyits center, with a thrust bearing 23 adapted to preventaxial drill displacement when the vcylinder 14 is forced against thetwistedbit or cutting end of the drill during the boring operation., Thethrust bearing is shown as taking the form of a support block 24 whichis anchored on base 10 and provided on oneof itsfacevs, remote frommotor 20, with a thrust boss 26. Support block 24 and thrust 'boss l26are apertured to loosely receive the drill as shown in Figure`2, 'andthrust collar Y 27 is suitably mountedon the drill shank closelyadjacent the thrust boss. The thrust of the drill in the direction ofmotor 20 is then taken by rubbing contact between the cooperating thrustcollar 27 and thrust boss 26, and

there is consequently no tendency to damage the motor 20."

The slidable cylinder support 12 comprises an upright block 29 which isanchored on a horizontal carriage plate 30 adapted to slide on base 10between L-sectioned guides 31 and 32 illustrated in Figure 3.y Block 29is formed` with `a cylinder-receiving opening 33 having a conical wall34 which opens out in the direction of stationary cylinder support 13.Opening 33 is in axial alignment with drill 22 and is of such size thatvarious diameters of cylinders 14 will engage conical wall 34intermediate its base and inner edges, so that different sizes of shaderoller cylinders may be extended without the necessity of using separateand interchangeable support blocks. The guides or slides 31 and 32 aredisposed parallel to drill 22 adjacent opposite edges of base 10, andareadapted to guide the carriage plate 30 and cylinderreceiving block 29 asit moves toward motor 20 under,

to the bearing block or to the drill,'suitable bushings 38 and 39 aremounted in the bearing block aperture as shown in Figure 2.V Drillbearing block 37 isnormally adjusted so that the cutting end of drill 22will lie along the axis of conical opening 33 and will drill a hole 18at preciselythe axis of cylinder 14 when the slidable means v12 areshifted from the solid line to the dashed line ,position shown inFigures l and 2.

`The stationary cylinder support means 13 comprises a pair of uprightV-jaws 41 and 42 mounted on opposite edges of an oblong pivot block 44,the latter being in turn mounted on theupper surface of an adjustmentplate 46 lying on base 10. The pivotal connection between pivot block 44and adjustment plate 46 takes the form of a vertical bolt 47 passingaxially through the pivot block as shown-inFigure 2. The V-jaws 41 and42E-are` identical in shape and size, and are disposed symmetricallyabout both the major and minor axes of pivot'block 44. Furthermore, theV-jaws lie in parallel planes which are-perpendicular to the minor pivotblock axis, with the angular notch 48 of each V-jaw opening toward theminor axis so that the jaws may iit over the cylinder 14 to maintain itin alignment. Referring to Figure 5, each of the notches 48comprises'two edges 49 which diverge at equal angles to a horizontalplane passing through the apex at which the edges meet, the anglebetween each edge and the horizontal plane Vbeing on the order offorty-tive degrees. The jaws are so mounted that the horizontal planepassingthrough the apexes of the jaw notches will also pass through theaxis of conical opening 33 and of drill 22. It follows that when theVjaws 41 and 42 are urged against .opposite sides of the cylinder 14 asshown in Figure l, the axis of the cylinder will be at the sameelevation as the axis of conical opening 33 and of the drill. In orderto urge the jaws into gripping relationship with the cylinder, a helicaltension spring 51 is connected between one end of pivot block 44 and apost 52 on adjustmentplate 46, the post 52 also serving as one endconnection for the carriage return spring 36. It will be noted that thepositioning of spring S1 is such that it opposes rotation of the pivotblock to align cylinder 14 with the drill, for example in vpivoting thecylinder from the solid line to the dashed line position shown in Figurel, the V-jaws 41 and 42 then pressing against the shade roller toeectively hold it in place.

In the normal use of the shade roller extending apparatus, all of theparts are adjusted so that a precise axial bore is formed in the end ofwooden roller 14. Thus, in normal operation the vertical axis of pivotbolt 47 for pivot block 44 passes through the axis of conical opening33. In addition, the drill 22 lies in exact axial alignment with theconical opening and in the same horizontal plane as the apexes of jawnotches 4S. How` ever, to permit flexibility in the operation of themachine, the cylinder-supporting means 12 and 13 are provided withadjustment means permitting otr' center holes as well as holes at anangle to the cylinder axis. 'I'he adjustment means for slidable drillsupport 12 comprise a plurality of inwardly directed screws which arenormal to and engage the various edge faces of drill bearing block 37.Screws 54 are threaded through suitable straps 56 which are mounted onblock 29 and overhang the relatively small block 37. Through rotation ofthe various screws 54, the bit end of drill 22 may be vertically orhorizontally shifted so that it no longer lies along the axis of conicalopening 33 but instead is somewhat oi center.

Also, it will be understood that screws S4 may be rotated in order tocause the cutting end of the drill to be perfectly centered relative toopening 33, despite any inaccuracy in the mounting of cylinder supportmeans 12.

To provide for the adjustment of stationary drill support 13, theadjustment plate 46 is pivoted at its inner edge as shown in Figure l,the pivot comprising a Vertical screw 57. The axis of screw 57 is at aright angle to, and intersects, the axis of conical opening 33. Theadjustment plate 46 may be pivoted on screw 57 through operation of atransversely extending adjustment bolt 59 which projects inwardly from alug 61 on one edge of support for threaded connection with a lug 62 onthe adjacent edge of the adjustment plate. As indicated in Figure 5, theadjustmentibolt 59 is formed with a collar 63, inwardly adjacent lug 61,to provide for pivoting of plate 46 in either direction upon selectiverotation of the bolt. To aid in locking the adjustment plate in adesired position, a vertical screw 65. is inserted downwardly through atransverse slot 66 in a horizontal plate 67 which overhangs the outeredge of adjustment plate- 46,'the screw being threaded into base 10 asindicated in Figure 2. Upon loosening of screw 65 and rotation ofadjustment bolt 59 to pivot the adjustment plate 46 until pivot bolt 47for block 44 is no longer directly beneath the axis of conical opening33, the cylinder 414 will not be in axial alignment with the drill 22when the inner cylinder end is positioned in the .conical opening. Thebore hole 1S in the cylinder end will thenhe directed at an angleoblique to the cylinder axis instead of extending along it as in thenormal situation.

In the operation of the apparatus, vlet .it vbe assumed that the variousadjustment means are set to normal operating positions for shade rollerextension, that is to say with the pivot axis 47 passing through theaxis of conical opening 33, and with the shank and bit portions of drill22 lying along the axis. Prior to the .placing of a cylinder 14- in theapparatus, the components are in the solid line positions shown inVFigures l andv 2, with the pivot block 44 pivoted counterclockwise dueto the operation of tension spring 51, and with the slidable cylindersupport means 12 in the outeror retracted position due to the operationot tension spring 36. A shade roller 14 of any various diameters, suchas fifteen-sixteenths inch, one and one-eight inches, one andone-quarter inches, etc., is then inserted. transversely of base 10between V- jaws 41 and 42. The cylinder '14 is then rotated clockwise,as viewed from above in Figure l, until its outer portion engages and iscentered by jaw notch edges 49 of V-jaw 41, and its relatively 'innerportion similarly engages and is centered by the edgese 49 of V-jaw 42.Clockwise rotation of cylinder 14 is continued, against the bias ofspring 51, until the cylinderis in the axially aligned position shown indashed lines in Figure l, after which the cylinder is slid until itsinner end abuts the conical wall 34 of opening 33. When in thispositionthe inner end of cylinder 14 is held, clue to its engagementwith the wall 34, in vertical and horizontal alignment with drill 22. lnaddition, the outer end of the cylinder is held in vertical andhorizontal alignment by the jaws 41 and 42, the cylinder then beingaxially aligned with the drill as desired. The operator then starts themotor 2li, to eiect rotation of drill Z2, and he manually shifts thecylinder 14 in the direction of the motor so that the end ot thecylinder is pressed over the drill bit. During this operation, theslidable cylinder support 12 is shifted to the dashed line positionshown in Figures l and .2. The cylinder support 13, however, remainsstationary while the cylinder 14 is slid through it, the tension spring51 tending to maintain the V-jaws 41 and 42 in align-A ing conditionduring the operation. Similarly, the tension spring 36 tendsto aid incentering the inner end ot' cylinder 14 since it insures that theconical wall 34 i will never move out of centering .engagement with it.

A hole 18 being bored to the desired depth, the cylinder 14 is moved inthe opposite direction toy free it from the drill bit, the spring 36then koperating tofreturn the carriage plate 30 and associated elementsto their initial positions. After the drilling operation is performed ontwo cylinders such as cylinders 14 and 16 shown in Figure 4, a dowel 17is inserted in the cylinder 14 and the cylinder 16 is fitted over it. Arelatively long combination cylinder is thus formed' which may be usedas 'a shade roller without possibility of wobble since the components 14and 16 are in precise axial alignment.

While the particular apparatus herein shown and .described in ,detail is.fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the. advantageshereiubefore stated, it is to be understood that it is merelyillustrative of 'the presenly preferred embodiments of the invention andthat. no limitations are intended to. the details of construction ordesign herein shown other than as defined in theagpended. claims.

I claim:

l. A machine for use in extending shade rollers, which comprises a base,a drill connected at its shank end to a motor, slide means mounted onsaid base, a cylindersupporting member provided on said slide means formovement longitudinally of said drill, said cylinder-supporting memberhaving a conical opening formed therethrough adjacent the cutting end ofsaid drill, said conical opening being in axial alignment with saiddrill and having its relatively large diameter base portion remote fromsaid motor, a pivot member spaced from said cylindersupporting member onthe opposite side thereof from said motor, said pivot member beingpivotable about an axis normal to and intersecting the axis of saiddrill and said conical opening, and a pair of V-jaws mounted on saipivot member and on opposite sides of said pivot member axis forengagement at axially spaced locations with opposite sides of a cylinderto be drilled, said V-jaws being shaped to cooperate with saidcylinder-supporting member in maintaining said cylinder in axialalignment with said drill during movement of the cylinder toward saiddrill to form an axial end bore therein.

2. The invention as claimed in claim 1, wherein the notches of saidV-jaws are formed with angularly related edges intersecting at apexesdisposed in a common plan; with the axis of said drill and of saidconical opening, and wherein means are provided to bias said pivotmember in a direction to cause pivoting thereof to maintain said V-jawsin engagement with said cylinder.

3. The invention as claimed in claim 2, wherein the intersecting edgesof each of said V-jaws lie in a plane parallel to a plane containing theintersecting edges of the other V-jaw, said parallel planes beingparallel to said pivot member axis and equally spaced on opposite sidesthereof.

4. The invention as claimed in claim 3, wherein said V-jaws are disposedsymmetrically relative to a plane containing said pivot member axis andperpendicular to said parallel planes.

5. A machine for use in extending shade rollers, which` comprises abase, a drill journaled on said base and connected at its shank end to amotor, carriage means mounted on said base for movement longitudinallyof said drill, a cylinder-supporting member provided on said carriagemeans for movement therewith, said cylinder-supporting member having aconical opening formed therethrough adjacent the cutting end of saiddrill and converging toward said motor, a pivot member spaced from saidcylinder-supporting member on the opposite side thereof from said motor,said pivot member being pivotable about an axis normal to andintersecting the axis of said drill and said conical opening, a pair ofV-jaws mounted on said pivot member and on opposite sides of said pivotmember axis for engagement at axially spaced locations with oppositesides of a cylinder to be drilled, spring means to urge said V-jaws intogripping engagement with said cylinder, and spring means to elfectreturn movement of said carriage means at the completion of a drillingoperation.

6. A machine for use in extending blade rollers, which comprises amotor, a drill mounted in said motor for rotation thereby, centeringmeans mounted substantially axially of said drill and being adapted toshift from adjacent the cutting end of said drill toward said motor toencompass said drill, said centering means including means to dene atleast a portion of a conical surface of revolution converging towardsaid motor, a pivot member spaced from said centering means on theopposite side thereof from said motor, said pivot member being pivotableabout an axis normal to and intersecting the axis of said drill, a pairof jaws iixedly mounted on said pivot member and on opposite sides ofsaid pivot member axis for engagement at axially spaced locations withopposite sides of a cylinder to be drilled, and means to bias said pivotmember to pivot the same about said axis in a direction to maintain saidjaws in engagement with said cylinder.

7. A machine for use in extending shade rollers, which comprises a base,a drill connected at its shank end to a motor, slide means mounted onsaid base, a cylindersupporting member provided on said slide means formovement longitudinally of said drill and being adapted to provide abearing for the cutting end of said drill, said cylinder-supportingmember having a conical opening formed therethrough adjacent saidcutting end of said drill, said conical opening being in axial alignmentwith said drill and having its relatively large diameter base portionremote from said motor, a pivot member spaced from saidcylinder-supporting member on the opposite side thereof from said motor,said pivot member being pivotable about an axis normal to andintersecting the axis of said drill and said conical opening, and a pairof i/-jaws mounted on said pivot member for engagement at axially spacedlocations with opposite sides of a cylinder to be drilled, said V-jawsbeing shaped to coopcrate with said cylinder-supporting member inmaintaining said cylinder in axial alignment with said drill duringmovement of the cylinder toward said drill to form an axial end boretherein.

8. A machine for use in extending shade rollers, which comprises a base,a drill connected at its shank end to a motor, slide means mounted onsaid base, a cylindersupporting member provided on said slide means formovement longitudinally of said drill, said cylinder-supporting memberhaving a conical opening formed therethrough adjacent the cutting end ofsaid drill, said conical opening being in axial alignment with saiddrill and having its relatively large diameter base portion remote fromsaid motor, a pivot member spaced from said cylindersupporting member onthe opposite side thereof from said motor, said pivot member beingpivotable about an axis normal to and intersecting the axis of saiddrill and said conical opening, a pair of V-jaws mounted on said pivotReferences Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS284,859 Hofstatter Sept. 11, 1883 494,834 Austin Apr. 4, 1893 698,608'Whiton Apr. 29, 1902 785,193 Brown Mar. 21, 1905 1,472,927 McLain Nov.6, 1923 1,503,836 Kunzer Aug. 5, 1924 1,510,771 English Oct. 7, 19241,513,350 Stolle Oct. 28, 1924 2,341,926 Lanby Feb. 15, 1944

